I know that you think I mean those Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs and perfect jacket weather, but this particular April shower o’ blessings comes directly from STARZ.
Nope, it’s not the premiere of Outlander Season 2 or their newest reality show, Tobiased: We Follow Tobias Menzies Around While He Gets Coffee and Discusses Chekov. You may not even know this goodness is coming your way, but it’s time to catch up because …
American Gods Starts Filming in April
Awwwwww yisssss. We’ve already talked about the great news that American Gods, based on Neil Gaiman’s award-winning novel, is coming to STARZ this year, but it’s gearing up to begin filming next month, and you need to be excited about it. The story is riveting and epic and a perfect blend of the things you know and the story you’ve never seen before.
Related: Why American Gods is Good News
But you still haven’t picked it up? What are you waiting for? Not only have I already told you it’s one of the best books I read this decade, but it also won ALL THESE AWARDS:
- Hugo Award for Best SF/Fantasy Novel
- Bram Stoker Award for Best Horror Novel
- Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel
- Nebula Award for Best Novel
AND it’s STARRING THIS GUY:
Related: Ricky Whittle is Shadow Moon
But don’t let Ricky Whittle’s charming face, social media frequency, shirtless google image cache, general hotness and genuinely down-to-earth and sweet disposition be the deciding factor in you picking up American Gods right away. How about …
Ian McShane as Mr. Wednesday
As beloved as this novel is, you can be assured that fans have been trying to cast the enigmatic and inimitable “old god” that hires Ricky’s character, Shadow Moon, as his bodyguard when he’s released from prison. Mr. Wednesday’s character – the charming and ruthless gentleman con artist – has conjured up names like Anthony Hopkins, Christoph Waltz, and Brendan Gleeson over the years. But I give you: the McShane.
You could probably just piece together gifs from Kings and Deadwood and watch Mr. Wednesday at work right now. Gaiman said of his casting, “When you write a beloved character… like Mr. Wednesday, you get to watch the internet trying to cast the role. I’ve seen a hundred names suggested, but few make me grin like Ian McShane does.” Perfect cast meets perfect characters. THIS IS WHY WE LOVE ADAPTATIONS, Y’ALL. When it all comes together. Like the latest bit of casting news …
Emily Browning is Laura Moon
Shadow’s (spoiler) wife has some of the wackiest scenes in the book: her character is hard to pin point and it sounds like the showrunners (I love you, Bryan Fuller) are ratcheting up the weird factor for the show. According to Gaiman, “… She has a challenge ahead of her: Laura is a tricky character, and the Laura on the screen is even trickier and more dangerous than the one on the page.”
Stephenie Meyer’s OG Bella (#EGBTT) is going to bring her incredibly gorgeous and timeless features to the bananas-ness that is Laura Moon. And while I can’t wait to see what she does with the role, what I really can’t wait for is …
More Casting Announcements
Who is screen testing right now for Low-Key and Sam Black Crow? Who is crazy enough for Hinzelmann and slippery enough for Media? As the gods, new and old, start lining up before production begins, we will continue to bow down to the one we love best anyway: BOOK TO SCREEN ADAPTATIONS AND THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THEM.
Like these fine folk.
source: Bekah Brunstetter, co-producer
In the meantime, READ THE BOOK, y’all. Or I’ll make you for Boozy Book Club. OMG THAT’s GENIUS. I love power.
Go follow the writers, Ricky Whittle, showrunner and literal sunshine in my life Bryan Fuller, co-creator Michael Green, and director David Slade because #EGBTT!!!!
What do you think of the newest cast members for American Gods?
